On August 1, 1981, MTV launched as a 24/7 music video channel, symbolizing a seismic shift in the music industry. It boldly debuted with The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," foreshadowing the essential role visuals would play in music. MTV's introduction drew parallels to historic events like the moon landing, highlighting the channel's ambitious vision. The deregulation of television allowed such innovation, opening the floodgates for a new era in entertainment. By melding music and video, MTV changed the cultural landscape, making music videos a vital part of the artist's expression and public image.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock and Roll." It was a statement: less than three decades after the first rock and roll single, this genre of music had colonized the planet.
MTV was all videos, all the time, brought to Americans due to the deregulation of the television industry in 1972 and the slow growth of cable channels.
Visuals were not just going to be an adjunct to the music, they were going to become inextricably linked.
They equated the premiere of this 24/7 video version of radio with the moon landing.
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